Wake up, gamers! It’s time to meet Waylay, Valorant’s newest high-mobility Duelist from Bangkok, Thailand. She’s shaking things up in the Dawn of the Duelist update, and we’re here to break it all down for you.
Waylay offers a fresh twist on a classic Duelist role. In fact, she’s the first new space-taking Duelist since the game launched with Jett and Raze. "There was a noticeable gap in this area, and it’s been quite some time since we introduced a Duelist like Waylay," explains June "Riot Junebird" Cuervo, the Design Lead for Waylay. "We wanted to diversify this role a bit, especially since Duelists show up on almost every team, particularly in the pro scene."
Duelists like Waylay are all about high mobility to break through chokepoints and mess with enemy aiming. They’re the vanguard, opening routes for their team to charge in and secure the site.
Abilities Rundown
Refract (Signature)
Refract lets Waylay drop a beacon of light on the ground. Reactivating this ability teleports her back to the beacon as an invincible light, immune to any damage and abilities. It’s her safety net, although it doesn’t necessarily benefit her team. "Unlike Jett and Raze, Waylay can retreat safely after disrupting enemy positions," explains Riot Junebird. "Once she uses Refract, the enemies shift their focus back to her teammates who must capitalize on the space she creates."
Light Speed
With Light Speed, Waylay can dash twice in any direction, with the initial dash allowing upward movement too. This gives her the flexibility to assume creative positions on the site. "My goal was to make movement the heart of Waylay’s kit," shares Riot Junebird. "While Raze offers expressive movement but with complexity, Waylay provides similar opportunities in a more approachable way."
Saturate
Saturate, a throwable cluster of light, acts like a grenade dishing out a new debuff called Hindering to enemies within its blast. The debuff slows vertical movement and reload times, minus the visual blur of a Concuss. "We aimed for a balanced power dynamics with Waylay’s abilities," notes Riot Junebird. "While Hindering is weaker than Concuss, it fits perfectly within Waylay’s toolkit, enhancing her Duelist capabilities."
Convergent Paths
Convergent Paths harnesses Waylay’s prismatic energy to project a beam from an afterimage. After a short delay, the beam broadens, hindering anyone it touches. "Although it may seem like an initiator skill, the delay showcases her Duelist edge," explains Riot Junebird. "That delay is the window for Waylay to lead her team onto the site."
Waylay will be available in Valorant’s 2025 Season, Act 2, launching on March 5. Jump into the game and start mastering her moves during the recruitment event, or snag her instantly with an active Xbox Game Pass linked to your Riot Games account. Good luck and have fun!
